Packing box



Jan. 13, 1931. v u. KAVVASAK] 7 I 1,789,075

PACKING BOX Filed Jan. '2, 1929.

Patented Jan. 13, 193l UTAKICHI K AWASAKI, OF SAN FRANGISCb, CALIFORNIA PACKING BOX Application filed January 2, 1929. Serial 329,773.

This invention relates to improvements in wooden boxes such as are used-for shipping grooves or like depressions in the opposed end walls, which grooves or depressions are constructed and arranged so that flexible wooden slats or boards employed to serve as a box top or cover may be quickly and easily fitted into said grooves and W111 securely remain in place, under tension, and

q in an upwardly bowed condition, it only being necessary to further bow or flex the slats to effect theirremoval from the box. By this arrangement the box may be closed in a quicker and easier manner than when the slats or top pieces are nailed in place, and a quicker and easier removal of the slats is also provided for Without damage or destruction of the slats, as often takes place in removing nailed slats. Inasmuch as boxes containing fresh fruit and vegetables are often opened and closed several times before reaching the retailer, this provision for a quick and easy removal of the closure slats and for as quick and easy a mounting of the slats back in place without the use of nails and without damage or destruction of the slats and boxes, makes possible an appreciable saving in time, material and costs in packing and shipping operations.

In shipping grapes, many packers place a removable extension on the upper edges of 40 the walls of the box proper, ,which extensionis, for example, one inch high. In the original pack, the grapes are packed-flush with the top of these extensions but by the time the boxes reach their destinations, thegrapes will have settled to a point flush ornearly flush with the upper edges of the box proper.

Theextension pieces of the box walls are then removed and the lid or cover pieces of the box are nailed onto the ,walls of the box proper so that when. the boxes reach the retailer they are full. I therefore make grooves or depressions in the extension pieces of the boxes of' this type, as well'as in the walls of the boxes proper so that the cover slats may be quickly and easily fitted in place and removed in accordance with this invention, on special grape boxes of the type above described. This saves much time, labor and material compared'to nailing the slats on the boxes.

With the above mentioned and other objects inview, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter describe, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the a claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportlon, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 7

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal sectional View of a box constructed in accordance with. my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary sectional view of the extension frame.

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary sectional View of the box with the extension frame removed.

Fig. 4 represents a cross sectional view of the box shownin Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the box. 85

Fig 6 represents a side elevation of one of the closure slats.

One embodiment of my invention as illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawing, comprises a box 1 of the type used for 'fruits, vegetables,-etc., in the end walls 2 of which box are formed grooves or depressions 3. These grooves or, depressions are slightly longer than the width of the flexible wooden slats or strips 4 such as are used to form a closure for the top of the box. One end wall 2 of the box is cutaway. as at 5 above the grooves therein so that the slats 4, after having certain ends fitted in the grooves 3 in. the other end wall of the 100 box, may be quickly flexed or bowed upwardly between their ends, to bring the other ends of the slats into the grooves elow the cut away or recessed portions of said 5 end wall. This cutting away of the box wall at-5 makes the lower walls of the grooves wider and said grooved walls serve as stops or abutments to limit the downward movement of the slat ends to a point such that "aid ends will readily snap into the grooves. In the present instance I have shown spaced grooves in each end wall so that the slats will be held in the usual spaced relation when fixed in place,-but I may, if desired,

use one long slot in each end wall of the box so-that the slats may be fitted closer to one another in providing a box closure,

For shipping and packinggrapes, the box maybe provided with the removable wall extension frame or structure 6, the end pieces 7 of which are usually nailed onto the upper edge of the end walls proper. After the grapes have remained in these-boxes for some time, the grape pack willsettle below the upper edges of the extension walls. Be-

fore delivery of the boxes tothe retailer it is the practice to remove theclosure slats and then the extension structure 6, then nail the closure onto the walls of the box proper so that a full box will be provided. I therefore provide grooves 8, in theend pieces 7 of said extension structures as well as'the grooves in the end walls of the box proper.

- By this arrangement, the closure slats may be mounted in place in accordance with this 7 invention without use of nails when the extension end frame 6 is in lace, andwhen said extension is removed; husan appreciable saving in time, labor, material and costs provided for. a p

The slats 4 in being bowed upwardly are under such tension that they will remain securely in place and are not likely to be deranged accidentally. However, theseslats 5 may be easily and quickly removed by'pulling' upwardly thereon ata point between their end and at thesame time pressing downward on certain ends thereof. Thusit is only necessary to flex or bend the slats further'up'ward from their fixed bowed position when in place in order to easily remove them from the' box. As the slats are not damaged or destroyed as often takes place when the slats are nailed in place, they may be used over and over. Likewise elimination of nailing saves the boxes from damage. The slats are prevented" from lateral movement by the ends of the grooves 3 and the slats are therefore held in proper spaced Bu-relation on'the box.

' I claim:

1. A packing box having depressions'in the op osed faces of certain opposed walls thereo removable extensions on the .up e? 5. edges of said walls, which extensions ave depressions therein corresponding to the (le pressions in said walls, and flexible closure slats for said box, which slats may be bowed upwardly between their ends to dispose their ends in position to engage in the depressions of either the walls or said extensions.

2. A packing box having depressions in the op osed faces of certain opposed walls thereo removable extensions on the upper edges of said walls, which extensions have depressions therein corresponding to the de pressions in said walls, and flexible closure slats for said box, which slats may be bowedupwardly between their ends to dlspose their ends in position to engage in the depressions of either the walls or said extensions, one of said walls and the extension thereon, having portions cut away from the upper edges thereof to the depressions therein.

I UTAKICHI KAWASAKI. 

